World Between: Chapter 9 part 3

“Show yourself!” Jared shouted, throwing a large slash of light forward. Cutting Sofia in half as she burst into smoke again.

“What are you talking about?” Another Sofia said from behind him tilting her head. “I’m right here.” She giggled, side-stepping a stone as it blasted out of the ground.

“Shouldn’t you be using Dark Magic?” Aaron questioned as he launched another rock.

“Is that the only question you have?” Sofia replied as she slashed through the stone with a downward streak of her arm, and dark double-edged bladed following her moment. “Or the only one you actually care about?”

“No, I just don’t expect an honest answer.” Aaron said as he pulled back his arm as though there was a bow in hand, and ready arrows made of wind. Tripping up as a Sofia leaned over his shoulder.

“You can not like the answer all you want, but that doesn’t make me a liar.” a Sofia replied over Aaron’s shoulder while the other he was aiming for looked at him. “What I wondering is why neither have gone for the Dark Gem. It’s right there, you know?”

“Like it’s unguarded!” Aaron shouted over an earth hammer as it came out of the ground and down on the Sofia behind him.

“Aww. Someone is mad.” Sofia playfully pouted, “Does lying hurt the big boy’s feelings?”
“If you hate home that much just finish it…” Aaron replied.

“Not my home, and I don’t hate it.” Sofia replied. “I want to. I would love for it to be that simple. But no one thinks that way, not even you.”

“What are you talking about?” Jared replied. “We have never—”

“You’ve never liked it, but that’s not the same.” Sofia interrupted. “From the moment you came here, you’ve been wondering the same thing everything else does.” Stood up straight standing in from the Dark Gem once again. “How did so many get taken, and why did all of them stay?”

“But you didn’t stay! You won’t even defend a pillar of your world.” Jared replied.

“I dunno what this is.” Sofia admitted, as the Dark Gem shines a bright purple. “So far as I know, no one even knows what it’s doing. But it’s not a pillar of this place, actually like the people it’s protecting, it’s not even native to this world.” 

“What are you doing?...” Aaron asked as dark orbs floated into Sofia’s body. Her light crimson skin fading to purple. 

“You wanted a fight with Dark Magic, didn’t you?” Sofia replied as her brown fur turned black in turn with her, now purple, skin.

“You have no idea what that level of magic will do to you!” Jared shouted, both arms waving outward as he formed a flash of light. 

“On the contrary, hun- argh” Sofia replied, hoof stomping into the ground as she took a step back blinded. “I know exactly what this does.” The earth trembled as her hoof stomped into the ground. Once the light cleared she stood over 4 times her normal height at 26 feet tall. “You a villain? A monster? From where you’re standing I think I fit the part!” Jared and Aaron rolled out of the way as Sofia stomped with her left hoof then her right. Then left again. 

“You’re enjoying this a little too much.” Aaron replied.

“What can I say?” Sofia replied. “I had a few secrets in the days of old.” Doing a twirl as she planted her left hoof on the ground again, and centered herself with the right hoof.

“I should’ve guessed your secret would be as dirty as you.” Jared said as shot light into her right leg.

“Ow. Ah. Ow. ow.” Sofia stumbled and brought her left leg back to steady herself. “You didn’t have to be rude while you shot…” She replied. 

“A kindness you’ve definitely shown us.” Aaron grumbled.

“I can hear you.” Sofia replied, kicking with her uninjured leg. “And I’m not the one trying to wreck other people's homes!” Aaron grazed past the giant leg as it swept right past him. “You. came. here. And it’s been chaos and destruction ever since, which you would know if you were paying attention!” Her voice echoed throughout the room. 

“Enough!” Aaron asserted. “We! are! all! going! Home!” Sofia braced as Aaron swung his arms together. Only to hear the cracking of the Dark Gem. Like all the others, the pieces scattered across the area. Unlike all the others, the guardian, Sofia’s, body collapsed covering the room in a thick purple smoke. 
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For a brief moment Aaron saw Sofia limp away, but as soon as he could chase after her she was gone. A human male who he had once thought of as a friend. Now a beastly woman who considers him an enemy. Countless unanswered questions raced through his mind. But as it stood now, he was much too tired to think about any of them.